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Ganquan Canyon
No. 3 of Best Things to Do in Yan'an

Ganquan Canyon

7.2
4.7/5
2.8k reviews
Ganquan Canyon is located in Ganquan County, Yan'an, Shaanxi, and is also known as Yucha Canyon. It is a group of red sandstone fissures hidden deep in the ravines of the Loess Plateau, hailed as a "natural fissure wonder of the Loess Plateau." Legend has it that an ancient earthquake split the mountain, and years of rainwater and flash floods carved out the now winding and graceful ravines. Due to its striking resemblance to Antelope Canyon in the U.S., it is often called the "Chinese Antelope Canyon" by photography enthusiasts. The attraction consists of multiple ravines, including Huashu Gully, Longba Gully, Mudan Gully, and Thread of Sky Gully. Among them, Huashu Gully is renowned for its smooth, layered rock walls, offering both an easy hike and stunning photo opportunities, making it the highlight of the area. The true highlight of this canyon is its play of light and shadow. Around noon on sunny days, sunlight pours straight down through the narrow gap overhead, with warm hues of ochre and gold flowing slowly along the curves of the rock walls, while moss clinging to the surfaces adds a touch of emerald green. Standing at the canyon floor and looking up, the sky narrows into a bright, slender line—between the alternating light and shadow, every casual snapshot becomes strikingly picturesque. On overcast days or during early/late hours when light slants in, the rock walls appear noticeably duller, somewhat diminishing the visual impact. Here are a few tips for your visit: Huashu Gully is gentle and open, ideal for leisurely photography; Longba Gully alternates between wide and narrow sections, offering more adventurous fun; the narrowest part of Yixiantian is particularly cramped, so extra caution is needed when passing through. Some gullies occasionally have accumulated water and mud, making the paths slippery—wearing anti-slip shoes is advisable. If you're here for the light effects, try to schedule your gully visit around noon on sunny days.Ganquan · 39.9km from downtown
Baota Mountain
No. 19 of Best Things to Do in Shaanxi

Baota Mountain

7.4
4.5/5
5.1k reviews
Baota Mountain is located in the center of Yan'an city, by the side of the Yan River, and is named after the pagoda on the mountain. The pagoda was first built in the Tang Dynasty, and the existing structure is a pavilion-style brick pagoda rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty. The pagoda, together with the mountain, the Yan River, and the bridge, forms the city skyline of Yan'an and is also a symbol of the revolutionary holy land in people's hearts. The poet He Jingzhi wrote in "Returning to Yan'an" the famous line, "How many times in my dreams have I returned to Yan'an, embracing Baota Mountain with both hands," adding emotional weight to this mountain. The mountain is densely scattered with historical sites, including Song dynasty cliff carvings, Fan Gong Well, beacon towers, Star-gazing Tower, Jialing Academy, ancient city walls, and the former site of the Japanese Workers' and Peasants' School. Among them, the inscriptions "Jialing Mountain" in clerical script and "My chest harbors tens of thousands of armored soldiers" by Fan Zhongyan of the Northern Song dynasty have long been renowned. An iron bell cast in the Ming dynasty still hangs beside the pagoda, which was used for timekeeping and alarms during the CPC Central Committee's Yan'an period. Ascending the mountain path to Star-gazing Tower and beacon tower areas offers panoramic views of Yan'an city and the Yan River. After nightfall, the mountain and pagoda illuminate, and gazing back at the lit pagoda from near Yan River Bridge remains a favorite photo spot for many travelers.Yan'an · 37.2km from Ganquan
Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum
2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum

10
4.7/5
150k reviews
Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum (Terracotta Army), also known asEmperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, Terracotta Army. It isMausoleum of the First Qin Emperor's burial pit, andMausoleum of the First Qin EmperorTogether they form:Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum. Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site MuseumIt has long been known as the Eighth Wonder of the World. The more than one thousand pottery soldiers and horses unearthed here are all different in appearance and vivid in expression. They are a shining pearl in the history of ancient Chinese sculpture art and have been hailed as "one of the great discoveries in the archaeology of the twentieth century." Historical background Qin Shi Huang began constructing the mausoleum as soon as he ascended the throne at the age of 13. Nearly 720,000 laborers were employed over a period of 38 years, making it a massive undertaking. The mausoleum was still unfinished when Qin Shi Huang died, and it took more than a year of continued construction under Qin Er Shi, Hu Hai, before it was finally completed. Legend has it that Emperor Qinshihuang spent countless manpower, material resources, and financial resources to build an underground palace for himself, and the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum serves as its guardians. The Terracotta Army of Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum can be regarded as a typical example of replacing human sacrifice with figurines. The reason why the terracotta warriors reached such a high level in scale and realism is inseparable not only from the wisdom of the craftsmen but also from the will of this emperor. In March 1974, farmers from Xiyang Village in Lintong District, Shaanxi Province, accidentally discovered some fragments of pottery figurines while digging a well. After more than a year of exploration and trial excavation by archaeologists, it was confirmed to be a large-scale pit of figurines — the world-renowned Pit 1 of the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum. In April and May 1976, Pits 2 and 3 of the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum were discovered on either side of Pit 1, each differing in size, shape, and unearthed artifacts. Some scholars believe that Pit 3 served as the command center directing Pits 1 and 2, known in ancient times as a "military tent." Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, built on the site of the Terracotta Army pits, officially opened in 1979. The main attractions include Terracotta Army Pits 1, 2, and 3, the bronze chariots and horses exhibition hall, and related temporary exhibitions. Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum offers visits to three Terracotta Army pits, including Pit 1, as well as the unearthed artifacts exhibition hall, the bronze chariots and horses exhibition hall,Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. The Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum excavated here can be divided into general figures, warrior figures, charioteer figures, and others according to differences in costume, expression, and hairstyle. Each figure has a different face shape, hairstyle, posture, and expression. The figures and horses were originally painted, but due to subsequent burning and soaking, most of the paint has peeled off and discolored. Pit 1 Pit 1 in the attraction was among the earlier ones to be excavated. The pit measures approximately 230 m from east to west and 62 m from north to south. Based on the arrangement density of the pottery figurines and horses unearthed during trial excavation, it is estimated that approximately 6,000 pottery figurines and horses are buried in Pit 1 of the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum, along with a large number of bronze weapons. Pit No. 1 is also one of the most impressive exhibition halls that have been pieced together so far. You can see a massive army of terracotta soldiers standing in the pit in various poses, and it is said that there are more than thirty styles of beards alone. If you look closely, every soldier is lifelike, and everything from the armor to the facial expressions, from the weapons to the lines on the palms, is astonishing. Pit 2 and Pit 3 Pit 2 and Pit 3 are located on either side of Pit 1. Like Pit 1, they contain nearly 2,000 life-sized pottery figurines and horses. There are different troop types such as charioteers, cavalry, and infantry, arranged in neat and orderly formations. Although they are less awe-inspiring than Pit 1, each pit has a different troop arrangement and function, so they are equally worth seeing. Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site MuseumThe shaping is based on real life, with delicate artistic techniques. The terracotta warriors have different costumes and expressions, showing distinct personalities and strong characteristics of the era. The bronze weapons unearthed in the pits include swords, pi, spears, ge, ji, shu, crossbow mechanisms, and a large number of arrowheads. Most of the weapons remain sharp after more than two thousand years, indicating that a high level of metallurgical technology had already been achieved at that time.China · Xi'an

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What travellers say about Ganquan

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M27***689 October 2026
5.0
I visited Ganquan Grand Canyon during the National Day holiday, avoiding the crowds at major cities and tourist attractions. It was a less crowded but still excellent experience! Recommended by China National Geographic magazine, definitely worth a visit! It's chilly and damp inside the canyon, so be sure to wear a thick coat. I wouldn't recommend coming in winter; it would probably be too cold.

Ganquan Canyon

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_CF***644 October 2024
4.0
It's beautiful, a masterpiece of nature, but there are not many birch trees. I don't know why it is called Birch Valley.

Huashugou Canyon

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M84***9719 January 2025
5.0
This is the birthplace of China's military reclamation and agricultural reclamation. It is built by the mountains and rivers. The attractions here include the Thousand Mu Rice Field with a history of more than 70 years, the Party Emblem Square, Taobao Valley, the Wetland Park, the Great Production Memorial Hall, and the former site of the Central Administration Bureau Cadre Rest Home. [星R] We mainly went to the Thousand Mu Rice Field (Figures 1-3). The weather was very good today. The blue sky and white clouds matched the green rice fields and it was really a good photo! The Wetland Park (Figures 4-5) also has good scenery. There are some rafting and boating entertainment projects, which are more suitable for picnics and relaxation with friends on weekends. Due to time constraints, we could only visit the Great Production Memorial Hall in a hurry. It was the first time to experience viewing the exhibition in a wheelchair [笑泣R] Figures 9 and 10 are the scenes of Nanniwan last autumn.

Nanniwan Scenic Area

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M44***0529 September 2026
5.0
The scenery is beautiful; it definitely needs a sunny day to go. It's worth seeing!

Yuchagou

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夜阑月色溶溶7 October 2026
5.0
Because we had children with us, we opted to take the sightseeing bus up and down, which was very relaxing. We got a close look at the pagoda, took photos, and learned about its history, especially the plaques at the north and south gates: "Soaring high above the heavens, overlooking the mortal world"—for over 1000 years, the pagoda has achieved this.

Baota Mountain

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MICO二先生2 July 2023
5.0
[Scenery] Nice [Fun] OK [Value for money] High

Yucha Township

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Anonymous user3 November 2026
5.0
日本人は、ほとんど見ない。地下鉄でも行けるが、中心部から出てるバスを利用したほうがいい。地下鉄とローカルバスで行ったが、時間が掛かる。ローカルバス探したり、待ったり と、時間がもったいない。

Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum

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博😘😘肖1 November 2025
5.0
From a historical perspective, both Yangjialing and Zaoyuan were important locations for the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) during the Yan'an period, carrying profound historical memories. However, they differ in details. Yangjialing is renowned as the cradle of revolutionary spirit and a witness to many important historical events; while Zaoyuan is known for its garden-like environment and its status as an important base for national revolutionary tradition education. Furthermore, Yangjialing and Zaoyuan differed in the location of their administrative offices and the revolutionary tasks they undertook. Yangjialing was the former site of all the CPC Central Committee's administrative offices, undertaking the important tasks of commanding the anti-Japanese war and the War of Liberation behind enemy lines, leading the Great Production Movement and the Rectification Movement; while Zaoyuan was the former site where the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee moved from Yangjialing, primarily undertaking tasks such as leading the entire Party in the Rectification Movement and the Great Production Movement in the liberated areas, and preparing for the Seventh National Congress of the CPC.

Yangjialing Revolutionary Site

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